Legacy 115: Saving Grace
by Dozo14
Summary: The Mitchell family reunites in Los Angeles to celebrate Paige and Henry's anniversary, though Grace is distracted by Luke, who is tempting her to the side of evil. Meanwhile, Wyatt and Noah must guide a grieving young witch and prevent her from taking a dark path to vengeance.
1. Chapter 1

Legacy 115: Saving Grace

Xxx

As a slight rain fell from the skies in London, a young woman with an umbrella walked across the street. Her name was Aubrey Collins, a beautiful young witch with dark skin and curly brown hair. As she hurried home, she reminded herself how ironic it was that her cute new raincoat was not at all waterproof. It was the perfect finish of a crappy day, after a long day at work and a horrible date with prince not so charming. When it starting raining harder, she just increased her pace until she reached her apartment.

As she entered her cozy apartment, Aubrey took off her coat and dropped her purse on the side table. After the day she had, she just wanted to curl up on the couch with a glass of wine and talk about it to her sister.

"Jeanie?" Aubrey called out. "Are you home yet?"

There was no response, though Aubrey heard a soft gurgling sound. She followed the sound and turned to see behind the couch. She screamed when she saw her sister lying in a pool of blood, holding her hands over her bleeding stomach while blood ran past her lips.

"Jeanie!" Aubrey called out in a panic.

Aubrey rushed over to her sister and grabbed a blanket on the couch to help stop the bleeding. As she held pressure on the wound, she started calling out for her Whitelighter, Roman. Meanwhile, her sister was trying to say something.

"What are you saying?" Aubrey asked. "Who did this, where is Roman?"

"Sorry, Roman can't answer your call right now." A smug voice sounded.

Aubrey turned around and saw a tall dark-haired young man standing in the door opening to the bedroom. Behind him on the ground lay Roman, her Whitelighter, though she could not tell if he was dead or merely unconscious.

"Warlock." Aubrey hissed. "What have you done?"

"I needed your sister's power." The warlock replied. "And now I'm going to take yours."

The warlock raised his hand and a metallic sphere formed in it. He threw the sphere at Aubrey, though she deflected it with her telekinesis and the sphere exploded as it hit the television. Aubrey flung her arm again and sent the warlock flying across the room, crashing into the wall to the kitchen.

"Keep pressure on this." Aubrey told her sister as she pressed down the blanket covering her wound. "Stay with me, sis."

Her sister nodded weakly and Aubrey realized she needed to move fast. Her sister could bleed out at any minute and she needed to check on Roman. She ran over to her Whitelighter and kneeled down, though she gasped in horror when she looked at his face. His eyes were open and lifeless and she could see a stab wound in his neck.

"I killed him as soon as your sister called him for help." The warlock said as he rose to his feet. "I coated my blade with a little Darklighter poison."

"I'm going to kill you for this." Aubrey stated angrily.

"I'd like to see you try." The warlock replied.

Aubrey screamed as she held out her hands, sending the warlock flying against the wall again with great force. She used her power to hold him in place and separated him from his athame. The warlock struggled and he became nervous, as he had clearly underestimated her. With her telekinesis holding him down, he was unable to move a single inch.

"I'm the older sister, which makes me more powerful." Aubrey said. "You should have never come here, warlock. It will be your last mistake."

"No, this can't be happening!" The warlock called out.

Aubrey pointed one hand at the athame and it flew in her hand. She was about to impale the warlock with his own blade when suddenly a cloud of black particles appeared and formed into a young-looking demon with dark blond hair.

"Sorry, can't let you do that." The demon said.

The demon held out his hand and Aubrey was overwhelmed by an intense pain all over her body. She fell to her knees and cried out in pain. It felt like the entire body was burning from the inside and she could not breathe. She was unable to hold the warlock and he fell on his knees.

"Your blood is boiling." The demon informed her. "It's quite a slow and painful death, but it's your lucky day. I only came for the warlock."

The demon grabbed the warlock and both disappeared in a swarm of black particles. The moment they were gone, the pain stopped and Aubrey gasped for air. She crawled over to her sister to check on her, though she realized it was too late. Jeanie had let go of the blanket and she was no longer breathing. Aubrey cried out in agony as she held her sister in her arms. She was the only family she had left, which meant that she was now alone.

"Jeanie, no." Aubrey said tearfully. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here. I love you."

Aubrey let go of her sister and wiped away her tears. Her pain made room for anger and hatred. She was going to avenge her sister no matter what. She looked across the apartment and saw the athame lying on the floor. With that, she had a way to track the warlock. She was not going to give up until he had gotten what he deserved, a slow and painful death.

Xxx

Across London, the warlock and the demon reappeared in an empty train station. The warlock, Luke, silently cursed as he slammed his fist on the floor. He had underestimated the older sister. He figured both were easy prey to collect more power. He needed to get stronger. When the witch nearly killed him, he had seen his miserable life flash before his eyes. There was only one good thing in that life, and he would do whatever it took to be with her.

"You're welcome by the way." The demon said casually.

"I didn't need your help, demon." Luke replied.

"Sure, you were doing fine on your own." The demon remarked. "It was part of your plan to be stabbed with your own blade, right?"

"Damn it, she has my athame." Luke said as he noticed it was missing. "She'll be able to scry for me."

"All the more reason to hear me out." The demon said.

"Who the hell are you?" Luke asked. "How did you find me?"

"The name is Dominik." The demon replied. "I was sent by someone who is interested in your plans. However, she has foreseen that you are going to fail."

"You don't know anything." Luke said angrily.

"I know you're in love with one of the Warren witches, one of those twins." Dominik said. "You think you can lure her to your side. You will get close, but in the end, she will choose her family over you."

"So why come to me?" Luke asked.

"The one who sent me wants you to succeed." Dominik replied. "She wants to hurt and ultimately destroy the entire Warren line. Having one of their own turn evil will hurt them deeply."

"You're working for her, the Morrigan." Luke said as he pieced it together.

"True." Dominik said. "She is offering you something that will help turn the witch evil. After you succeed, you can do whatever you please as long as you don't cross her."

"What is it?" Luke asked.

Dominik smirked as he reached into his jacket pocket and revealed a vial with a sinister-looking dark liquid. Luke knew had no reason to trust the demon, but he needed to be with Grace. He could not stand losing her. As he considered killing the demon and taking the potion, he unknowingly clenched his fist. Dominik noticed and raised his hand. An instant burning pain coursed through Luke's body and he fell to his knees. The pain faded when the demon lowered his hand.

"I can easily kill you." Dominik said impatiently.

"I'm sorry." Luke replied reluctantly. "What does the liquid do?"

"She calls it the Heart of Darkness." Dominik said as he looked at the vial. "A tonic from her Grimoire. Let the witch drink it and it will weaken the good in her and make her more susceptible to evil."

"And she is just giving it to me?" Luke asked.

"Turning the witch against her family is its own reward." Dominik said in a dismissive tone. "You have nothing else to offer."

"Alright, you've got a deal." Luke replied.

"Slip it in her drink and tempt her to give into her darkest desires." Dominik explained. "She will not be able to resist the pull of evil."

The demon smirked as Luke accepted the vial and he disappeared through a stream of black particles. Luke stared at the vial in his hand. He had planned to turn Grace to his side ever since she had spared his life. She would be perfect if she became evil. He wanted a true partner to spend eternity with. This potion would draw out her inner darkness, at which point she would be his.

Xxx

On a busy street filled with boutiques in Paris, Grace Mitchell was shopping with one of her friends from art school, Margaux. They were having a good time and laughing while going from store to store. Grace needed a new dress for her parents' anniversary dinner in LA, which was tomorrow evening. After failing at several shops, they stopped in front of an expensive store, where Grace was mesmerized by a beautiful red dress in the window. It was dark red with a low neckline and fine silver linings.

"You have to try that on." Margaux said. "It would look stunning on you."

"I could never afford it." Grace replied disappointed.

"It never hurts to try it on." Margaux said with a shrug.

Margaux grabbed Grace by the arm and dragged her inside the store. A few moments later, Grace was standing in front of a full length mirror while wearing the gorgeous dress. She felt amazing in it. However, instead of thinking about her parents anniversary, she was thinking about Luke, wondering what he would think if he saw her in this dress. She knew it was wrong, but she could not get him out of her mind. She had faked his death for time to figure out her feelings. Was she really in love with him, or was she only attracted to the dangerous, forbidden thing?

"What's with that smile?" Margaux asked suspiciously. "Is there something I should know? A guy?"

"Maybe." Grace replied.

"I knew it. You have been distracted for weeks, always sneaking off." Margaux said. "Tell me about him."

"I can't." Grace replied. "We want it keep it private for now."

"Oh my, it's not a teacher, is it?" Margaux asked concerned.

"No, of course not." Grace said as she rolled her eyes. "He doesn't go to our school. I will tell you about him soon."

"Alright." Margaux said reluctantly. "We should get going anyway. I have to finish my essay. I'm nearly done, what about you?"

"Yeah, me too." Grace admitted.

Grace took another longing look at the dress and wished she could afford it. However, as a poor art student, such beautiful things were not meant for her. She took a quick picture with her phone and before changing back to her own clothes.

A little while later, and without a dress, Grace returned to the dorm she shared with her sister. Laura was not there, as she was probably still studying in the library. Grace put down her bag down and sat down behind her desk. She opened a laptop and a white document stared back at her. She was supposed to turn in an essay on her favorite painter tomorrow, though she had not written a single word. She was too distracted with Luke to focus on school. She knew she was in trouble, as she was falling behind on several classes.

When someone suddenly placed a hand on her shoulder, she let out a scream. She spun around and saw it was Luke. Although he nearly gave her a heart attack, she was happy to see him.

"You scared me." Grace said as she got up and kissed him. "I've missed you."

"I have a surprise for you." Luke replied.

Luke took her hand and they disappeared from the dorm room in a blink of an eye. When they reappeared, they were standing on a rooftop terrace surrounded by many lights. A diner table was set with champagne waiting.

"This is amazing." Grace said with a smile. "But I can't, I have school work."

"Come on, I planned this just for us." Luke said. "I spent weeks underground looking another chance to see you."

"I know, I'm sorry." Grace replied. "Maybe I can stay for a minute."

Luke smiled and walked over to the table to get the champagne, which he poured with his back turned to her. When he returned, she accepted a glass, unaware of a few drops of a dark liquid that were dissolving at the bottom of the glass. They toasted and each took a sip. Grace felt a warm tingling sensation as she drank the champagne.

"I don't see why school is that important to you." Luke said. "Art is something to be experienced, not to read about. You should travel the world and see it all yourself."

"Don't tempt me." Grace replied. "I never liked school."

"Of course not, you're a free spirit." Luke said. "That is why I fell for you. You don't want to live by the rules, you want to choose your own path."

"It's not that easy." Grace replied.

"Why not?" Luke asked. "You're a powerful witch, you could do whatever you want. All you have to do is say a little spell."

"That's personal gain." Grace said. "Good witches can't use their magic for personal reasons."

"Personal gain." Luke replied with a shrug. "That is some rule invented by the Elders to keep witches down. All these silly rules that force us to choose between good and evil. It makes no sense."

"Because you're a warlock." Grace said.

"Only because I was born as one." Luke replied. "I didn't choose it, but I enjoy the freedom it gives me. So you're never tempted to use magic for yourself? Just once?"

"Of course I have, many times." Grace admitted. "Earlier today I saw this amazing dress that I could never afford. If I could use my magic to get it, I would."

She showed him a picture of the dress and Luke smiled when he saw it. He took another sip of his champagne and Grace did the same. Again, she felt a tingling sensation that made her feel hot and daring.

"That dress is smoking, I would love to take it off you." Luke whispered temptingly. "What is stopping you? Cast a spell and take it."

"I can't." Grace replied.

"Then allow me." Luke said and he started to chant a spell. " _What she desires, so shall it be, make my love look gorgeous for me_."

Luke waved his hand and Grace was surrounded by a whirlwind of red smoke. When the smoke cleared, her own clothes had disappeared and she was wearing the beautiful dress from the store. Whether it was the champagne or something else, at that moment Grace did not care about right or wrong. She loved Luke for making her feel special and beautiful. She kissed him passionately and had every intention of letting him take the dress off again.

xxx


	2. Chapter 2

Legacy 115: Saving Grace

Part 2

Xxx

After a long night of studying at the library, Laura Mitchell returned to her dorm room feeling tired but content. She was pretty sure she had just written a very compelling and top grade paper about Greek mythology, one of her favorite time periods. Of course, it did help that she had some insider knowledge from a Muse she had befriended a few weeks ago. With this paper, she was confident that she would pass the year with top grades, which would almost certainly earn her an amazing internship next year. After the whole ordeal with the warlocks some time ago, Laura had fully dedicated herself to her education. She did not let anything distract her from her goals, especially not cute guys who turned out to be psychos.

As she entered her dorm, Laura noticed that her sister wasn't there. They were both so preoccupied with their own lives that they barely saw each other anymore. There was a distance between them that Laura did not fully understand. At times, it even felt like Grace was avoiding her. At least they would be together today, as their mom was orbing them to LA for the anniversary. It would be good to see her parents and little brother again, as she missed them a lot.

Laura put down her stuff and quickly changed her clothes. She was exhausted and wanted to sneak in a few hours of sleep before they would go to LA. She crawled under the covers and quickly fell asleep. A few hours later, Laura woke up when she heard the door open. She opened her eyes and saw her sister entering the dorm room in a stunning red dress.

"Hey." Laura said as she sat up. "Where have you been?"

"I was out with Margaux." Grace replied. "Were you asleep? It's the middle of the afternoon."

"I spent all night at the library." Laura said. "Where did you get that dress?"

"Uh, it was a gift." Grace quickly replied.

"It looks expensive." Laura said. "Who gave it to you?"

"Is this an interrogation?" Grace snapped at her. "It was a gift from a friend. And it wasn't that expensive. It just looks like it."

"I was only asking." Laura said.

"Well, I don't have to explain myself." Grace replied somewhat annoyed. "I'm going to take a shower before mom gets here."

Grace grabbed her stuff and left the dorm to head to the communal showers. Laura got out of bed and wondered what had put her sister in such a bad mood. That dress looked really expensive, so she doubted that it was just a random gift. Was she involved with some guy that she wanted to keep secret? That would at least explain her distant behavior. Laura checked her watch and realized her mom would be there soon. She too wanted to grab a quick shower before she arrived, so she quickly grabbed her stuff and followed her sister to the showers.

About half an hour later, both sisters were back in the dorm room getting ready. There was an obvious tension in the room, as Grace was ignoring Laura completely as she applied her makeup and styled her hair. Laura had always hated it when they fought, which luckily was very rare.

"Can we please talk?" Laura asked after a while.

"Sure." Grace replied distantly.

"What is going on, Grace?" Laura asked. "Why are you so snappy?"

"I just have a lot on my mind." Grace replied. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Is it about a guy?" Laura asked. "The one who bought you that dress?"

"I already told you it's nothing." Grace replied with a raised eyebrow.

"You've been acting weird for weeks." Laura said. "We barely spoke and you're never here."

"I could say the same about you." Grace argued. "You basically live in the library these days. It's not like you're around to talk."

"I'm here now." Laura replied. "Talk to me."

Grace ignored her and continued perfecting her look. Laura noticed her makeup and clothes were notable darker and her hair was a little wilder than usual. Along with the dress, which was way out of her price range, it looked like she was trying to change herself for someone.

"Are you doing this for this guy, trying to change yourself?" Laura asked directly. "Is he older, richer?"

"Oh god, Laura, don't be gross." Grace replied as she rolled her eyes. "I'm not dating some old pervert for his money. I felt like doing things a bit different for once. We can't all be innocent bookworms forever."

"I'm trying to talk to you like a sister." Laura said. "Why are you trying to pick a fight?"

"Because I don't feel like talking." Grace snapped at her. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Alright." Laura replied reluctantly in an attempt to keep the peace. "I won't ask anymore. Just know that I'm here."

Grace hesitated as they made eye contact through the mirror. Laura noticed her sister seemed conflicted, as if she wanted to say something, though she remained quiet.

"I know." Grace said eventually.

Laura sat down on her bed and grabbed one of her favorite books, while Grace lied down on her own bed and listened to some music on her phone. After a little while, the twins noticed a swirl of orbs appearing in the room. They both stood up, expecting their mom to appear. However, instead of materializing in one place, the orbs started to chaotically fly across the room and crashed into the wall. The orbs formed into Henry Junior, who fell on the floor with a groan.

"Oh my god." Laura called out as she ran over. "Henry, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, still working on the landing." Henry Jr. replied as he got up and corrected himself. "Hey, at least I orbed my pants with me this time."

"What are you doing here?" Grace asked with a frown. "And since when can you orb places?"

"I've been practicing with help from Wyatt and Chris." Henry Jr. replied. "Since I can orb through stuff, mom figured I should also be able to teleport distances. She sent me to pick you up."

"That's amazing." Laura said. "I wish we inherited some more Whitelighter genes."

"Speak for yourself." Grace replied. "I like being mostly witch. Being a Whitelighter means even more dumb rules to follow."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Laura asked with a frown.

"Never mind." Grace said before turning to their brother. "So how have you been, short stuff?"

"Fine, same as ever." Henry Jr. replied with a shrug.

"How is the rest of the family?" Laura asked. "I can't wait to hear how everyone is doing. I miss all of you."

"I'll fill you in later." Their brother said as he checked his watch. "Mom is expecting us any minute. She arranged it to be a surprise for dad. We should get moving or we'll ruin it."

"Are you sure you can orb us?" Laura asked.

"Sure, no problem." Henry Jr. replied confidently as he extended his hand. "Just hold on."

"This will be great." Grace remarked.

Laura nodded and took his hand before extending her other hand to Grace, who hesitantly accepted it. Henry Jr. closed his eyes and they began to disappear in a swirl of orbs. While Henry Jr. and Laura began to rise off the ground and disappear, Grace remained on the ground. She rolled her eyes and was about comment again when a swirl of orbs reached down and surrounded her, taking Grace along with her siblings after all.

Xxx

Elsewhere, in a restaurant in San Francisco, Wyatt and Dylan were sitting across from Prue and Noah at a table. The four of them had agreed to go on a double lunch date in an attempt to all get to know each other a little better. The idea had come from Wyatt himself, as he wanted to know more about Noah now that he and Prue were getting closer. Although Prue was his cousin and not his sister, Wyatt did feel protective of her, as he did with all of his cousins. Noah seemed like a decent guy, though there were parts of his past that concerned Wyatt. He had heard some troubling things, though he was trying to find a way to bring it up.

"So how are things going at the garage, Dylan?" Prue asked while poking her salad with her fork.

"Pretty good." Dylan replied. "A while ago, this guy came in with this antique Ford pick-up truck. Working on such a beauty was amazing."

"Wait, doesn't Uncle Leo have a truck like that" Prue asked.

"Oh, right. It's still sitting in the garage at the manor." Wyatt said. "He tried to fix it up years ago, but I guess he forgot about it."

"Can I see it?" Dylan asked. "Maybe I can fix it up for him."

"I think dad would love that. It is a waste to just have it sit there." Wyatt said. "I'll check just to be sure."

"Thanks. You're the best." Dylan replied.

"What do you think about trucks, Noah?" Wyatt asked.

"Oh, I'm not really a car person." Noah replied. "I don't know the first thing about them. I never even owned one."

"So how are things at the paper, Prue?" Dylan asked. "Any interesting stories you're working on?"

"My editor has me writing these silly fluff pieces." Prue replied. "He keeps saying I need to get more experienced before I can write about real news."

"That sucks." Wyatt said.

"You shouldn't give up." Noah added. "You are an amazing journalist, Prue. If your editor won't give you a story, you should find your own."

"You're right, thanks Noah." Prue replied as she gave him a quick kiss.

"Maybe Wyatt can help you with some pictures." Noah said. "You are a freelancer, aren't you?"

"Not as freelance as you." Wyatt remarked before he realized it.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Prue asked.

"Nothing, never mind." Wyatt quickly replied.

"It didn't sound like nothing." Prue said. "Do you have a problem with my boyfriend?"

"I'm sure it's not a big deal, Prue." Noah said in attempt to calm things.

"He's not your boyfriend, he is your Whitelighter." Wyatt replied.

"I highly doubt you're the right person to have an issue with a witch and a Whitelighter dating, considering how you were born." Prue said.

"I don't have an issue with him being a Whitelighter." Wyatt argued. "I have a problem with him being a former Elder."

"Excuse me?" Noah asked.

"I'm a Whitelighter too, Noah. I hear things up there." Wyatt said. "I heard all about your failed rebellion. About the people you hurt."

"Guys, I doubt this is the right place to have this discussion." Dylan said hesitantly as he looked around, though nobody seemed to pay much attention to their conversation.

"How is that even relevant?" Prue asked. "Noah has told me everything already. He made mistakes in the past, but his heart was in the right place."

"And what if he does something like that again?" Wyatt asked. "What if you are caught in the middle and you end up hurt or in trouble?"

"Wait, is this some kind of weird overprotective thing?" Prue asked. "Because I'm an adult, Wyatt. I can make my own choices."

"I would never let Prue get hurt." Noah said.

"Tell that to your last girlfriend." Wyatt replied.

Seeing the hurt look on Noah's face made Wyatt instantly realize he had gone too far. He could only imagine how much it hurt to lose someone you loved like that. He had never intended for this to become an argument. He just wanted to make sure Noah was right for his cousin. Many in the Heavens still harbored resentment toward Noah and he did not want Prue to get involved.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Wyatt said. "I overreacted."

"You shouldn't have said anything." Prue replied angrily as she stood up. "I get that you like playing the big brother, Wyatt, but news flash, you're not. Our relationship is none of your business."

"Prue, maybe we should sit down and talk." Noah said. "I'm sure…"

"No, we're leaving." Prue interrupted him. "I'm sorry, Dylan."

Noah stood up and was about to leave with Prue when suddenly a jingle sounded from the Heavens. Wyatt and Noah both looked up and then exchanged looks. The Elders were calling them both for some reason. That had never happened before.

"Did you both just get a jingle?" Prue asked confused.

"We did." Wyatt replied. "Do you know anything?"

"I'm as surprised as you are." Noah said. "It sounded urgent though. We should get going."

"Well, that won't be awkward at all." Dylan remarked as he took a sip of his drink. "But at least Prue and I can finish our lunch without arguments."

"Sounds nice." Prue replied as she sat back down. "Maybe working together will help you settle your differences. The only thing I want to hear when you get back is that you made peace."

"We should get moving." Noah said.

Wyatt nodded and they both kissed their significant others goodbye before excusing themselves to the bathroom. Feeling uncomfortable with the whole situation, Wyatt wondered the Elders could possibly want with the two of them. Once they made sure they were alone, they orbed to the Heavens.

Xxx

In a rundown apartment in Paris, the door magically swung open and Aubrey Collins stepped in wielding an athame. She carefully looked around, looking for the warlock that killed her sister. She had used his athame to track him here, though it appeared she was too late. The apartment was disgusting but empty. She bitterly turned around to leave, though she then realized this was an opportunity to learn more about him. She held up her hand and every cabinet and drawer in the apartment flew open.

"Give me something, you son of a bitch." Aubrey muttered as she looked around. "Anything that will tell me where you are going next."

Aubrey continued to search the apartment, though it didn't seem there was anything relevant to find. When an image of her bleeding sister flashed for her eyes, she screamed and everything in the apartment trembled. An old painting fell down, revealing a hole in the wall.

"Finally." Aubrey said.

Aubrey walked over and reached into the hole. She pulled out a small leather-bound journal, which she quickly opened. A picture fell out, showing a beautiful young woman with wavy light brown hair.

"His next target?" Aubrey asked herself. "No, never again. My sister will be your last victim, warlock."

Aubrey sat down on the floor and reached into her jacket pocket. She revealed a world map, which she spread across the floor, and a crystal. Using the picture she had found, she started scrying for the girl. After a few moments, the crystal dropped on Los Angeles. It looked like she had found her next destination. She collected her stuff and revealed a small potion bottle. As she threw it on the ground, she disappeared through a cloud of black smoke.

xxx


	3. Chapter 3

Legacy 115: Saving Grace

Part 3

Xxx

After orbing out of the restaurant, Wyatt and Noah appeared on top of the Golden Gate Bridge through two columns of orbs. Wyatt walked toward the edge of the bridge and looked down at the cars underneath them. The distance was too great for the cars to see them standing there, which made it a perfect meeting place with the Elders. Wyatt turned back to Noah and felt an awkward silence. He still felt a bit guilty about what he had said at the restaurant. However, he still believed it was his job to look after his cousins. If Noah was trouble, he had every right to be concerned, though he needed to clear the air.

"About what I said…" Wyatt started to say.

"Don't worry about it." Noah replied. "I understand why you're concerned. You want to protect Prue."

"Still, what I said about Calliope wasn't fair." Wyatt admitted.

"No, it wasn't." Noah said with a frown. "Look, I know I made mistakes, but I am trying to make them right. I have been nothing but a good Whitelighter to your cousins."

"That's not what I'm worried about." Wyatt replied.

Noah was about to say something back, though he was interrupted by two columns of orbs that descended down from the Heavens. The columns materialized into two familiar faces, Sandra and Odin. Although Wyatt respected the council and the good they did, unlike some in his family, he did harbor some resentment toward Odin for what he had done to his parents. Sandra, on the other hand, was kind and reasonable.

"Thank you both for coming." Sandra said.

"You're welcome." Wyatt replied. "What is this about? Why did you want to see us both?"

"That was a matter of debate." Odin said with a frown.

"We wanted you to work together on this." Sandra explained. "It was important for us to see how far you both have come."

"You mean that you want Wyatt to keep an eye on me." Noah concluded. "Because you don't trust me enough to handle a new charge on my own."

"That's not…" Sandra started.

"That's right." Odin interrupted her. "You are still under probation for your crimes, Noah. Still, the council felt that you have done adequately with the Halliwell sisters, which is why we decided to increase your responsibilities."

"Wait, I don't feel comfortable being put in this situation." Wyatt said.

"You don't have a choice in the matter, Wyatt." Odin replied. "You have shown great promise as a Whitelighter, but you still have much to learn as well."

"What Odin is trying to say, is that we feel that this is an experience that you can both learn from." Sandra said. "Besides, this charge deserves our full attention."

"Who is the charge?" Wyatt asked.

"She is a young witch from a powerful magical line in Great Britain." Sandra explained. "Her name is Aubrey Collins. She is in danger of walking down a dark path of vengeance."

"What happened?" Noah asked.

"Her sister and Whitelighter were killed by a warlock." Odin stated.

"That's terrible." Wyatt replied. "But is sounds like she is seeking justice, not vengeance."

"There is a thin line between the two." Sandra said. "She is guided by pain and anger. That is a dangerous road for a witch to walk. We fear that she will put her revenge before anything else."

"You're worried she will join the dark side?" Wyatt remarked.

"This is no time for jokes." Odin replied annoyed. "The Collins family was one of the most powerful families in England, once rivaling the Marks line. Now that her sister is gone, Aubrey is the only one left. We don't want to lose her."

"Her Whitelighter, it was Roman, right?" Noah asked troubled.

"Yes, I know you were friends once." Sandra noted. "I'm sorry."

"That was a long time ago." Noah said somewhat saddened. "We will do whatever we can to help Aubrey."

"Good." Sandra replied. "We would prefer the warlock vanquished, of course, though helping Aubrey deal with her grief is your priority. Save her from herself."

"Where is she now?" Wyatt asked.

"When we last tracked her, she heading toward Los Angeles." Odin said. "We believe that she is hunting down the warlock as we speak."

"You won't be able to sense her, since will not open herself up to a new Whitelighter." Sandra added. "There is no way to create a charge connection."

"We will find a way." Wyatt said. "You can count on us."

"I am hardly convinced." Odin replied.

"Good luck and blessed be." Sandra said with a faint smile.

Sandra nodded and both she and Odin disappeared through a column of orbs. Wyatt thought about Aubrey and how he would react if someone in his family was killed. He would also want justice, perhaps even revenge. It was going to be difficult to get through to her, as her grief and pain were probably overwhelming.

"How do you suggest we start?" Noah asked.

"We will need to find her first." Wyatt replied. "Are you okay with working together? I can understand if you feel uncomfortable about it."

"Aubrey should to our main concern right now." Noah said. "However I feel doesn't really matter."

"Alright." Wyatt said. "I know someone who might be able to help us in LA."

Noah nodded when he realized whom Wyatt was referring to. Aside from his father, there was only one other person Wyatt always looked to for advice when it came to being a Whitelighter. It was time to go visit his favorite aunt.

Xxx

In a moderately sized but well-decorated apartment in Los Angeles, Paige Matthews stood in front of a painting easel, contemplating her latest work. It was inspired by one of her charges, a young witch from Puerto Rico. She had been fighting a creature known as the Chupacabra, which was killing livestock in her village. Since the creature was so rare, Paige wanted to paint it for others in the magical community. However, the creature was too fast for her charge to get a good look. With a reluctant sigh, Paige decided to give up and headed to the kitchen.

After cleaning the paint of her hands, Paige looked at the time and realized she was running late. Her kids could arrive at any moment. Since it was hers and Henry's anniversary, she wanted to surprise her husband with a family dinner. The five of them had not been together in months. Paige waved her hands and her painting tools disappears in a flurry of orbs. She knew it was against the rules, but she had little time to waste. After cleaning the apartment the old-fashioned way, Paige started preparing dinner. She originally wanted to go out, as she was a horrible cook, though Henry would prefer a night at home with the kids. Luckily, she had a little help from Piper in the form of a recipe, one written so that even Paige could make it.

"Still the big sister." Paige noted with a smile as she read Piper's instructions. "This had better work or I'm summoning you for damage control."

At that moment, a swirl of orbs appeared in the middle of the room. It fluttered around chaotically before finally materializing into Junior and the twins. A big smile appeared on Paige's lips as she ran over to her children to hug them.

"You are getting better." Paige noted to her son.

"Thanks, I think I'm getting the hang of it." Henry Jr. replied.

"Did you forget the part where you almost orbed us into the ocean?" Laura remarked.

"That was on purpose." Henry Jr. replied.

"Alright, be nice." Paige said. "Come on, sit down and tell me how you have all been. After that, you can help me cook."

"Wait, you're cooking?" Henry Jr. asked concerned.

"I said be nice." Paige replied with a frown.

Paige sat down with her kids in the living room to catch up. It was difficult being so far away from them while they were building their own individual lives, so she wanted to make the most of the time they had together. After a while, Paige noticed that Grace was withdrawn and a little distant. Out of all her children, Laura was logical-minded and Junior was carefree, while Grace had always been the emotional one. Once she was in these moods, she would often isolate herself. Paige realized it would be best to talk to her alone, so she sent Laura and Junior to the kitchen for some snacks.

"Grace, honey." Paige started as she sat down on the couch next to her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Grace replied distantly.

"Sweetie, you know you can talk to me." Paige said as she placed a hand on her arm. "Even though I'm far away, I'm always there for you."

"I said I'm fine." Grace snapped at her as she pulled away. "You can stop the concerned mom routine."

"It's not a routine." Paige replied. "You're my daughter and something is clearly bothering you. I can see it in your eyes."

"You wouldn't understand." Grace said tearfully. "I'm going for a walk."

Before Paige could respond, Grace got up and headed to the front door. Knowing that her daughter was as stubborn as she was, Paige decided not to go after her. Any attempt to talk she made now would only end in a fight. Instead, she got up and headed to the kitchen.

"Did you guys argue?" Laura asked.

"Not really, but your sister needed some time alone." Paige replied. "Do you know what is going on with her?"

"No, I tried to talk to her earlier." Laura said. "She has been distant lately."

"Do you think it's school?" Paige asked.

"I don't know." Laura replied. "But I'm worried about her. She has never been like this."

"She has always been moody." Henry Jr. remarked. "I don't see a difference."

"It's different now." Laura said.

"I'll try talking to her again after dinner." Paige decided. "I don't want to start a fight during your father's surprise dinner. Speaking of which, we really need to get started."

Paige started working on her sister's signature lasagna, while Laura made the appetizers and Junior the desert. The recipe was relatively easy to follow. Paige checked the clock and noticed that things were on schedule. Henry would be back in an hour or so, meaning they had plenty of time left. Paige picked up the lasagna and headed to the oven, though she nearly dropped it when two columns of orbs appeared in front of her. They materialized into Wyatt and another familiar face that she had not seen in years.

"Noah." Paige said surprised.

"Hi Paige." Noah replied. "It's been a long time."

"You're back?" Paige asked.

"As a Whitelighter." Noah explained. "I'm trying to earn back the trust of the council. Your nieces are actually my first charges."

"Good, you deserve a second chance." Paige replied. "It's good to see you."

"Thanks." Noah said with a smile.

"So what are you guys doing here?" Henry Jr. asked.

"We need some expert Whitelighter advice, so we came to the best…" Wyatt started to say until he noticed the lasagna in Paige's hand. "Is that my mom's recipe? That's my favorite."

"It is indeed." Paige replied. "If it doesn't poison my family first, I'll make it for you. So how can I help?"

"Wait, I'm sorry, am I missing something?" Laura asked as she looked at Noah. "Who are you?"

"Sorry." Noah said as he walked over and extended his hand. "I'm Noah."

"I'm Laura." Laura replied with a smile as she shook his hand. "So you're Prue, Penny and Payton's Whitelighter?"

"And he is dating Prue." Henry Jr. added with frown.

"Oh, that's great." Laura said a bit flustered as she withdrew her hand.

"We actually came here for something urgent." Wyatt continued. "We need help tracking a witch and saving her from going to the dark side."

"Well, good thing you came to your personal Obi-Wan." Paige remarked. "Just let me put this in the oven and we'll talk."

Xxx

In an alley in the middle of Los Angeles, Aubrey Collins appeared through a puff of black smoke. Feeling the blistering heat compared to the cold London, she quickly took off her jacket and headed to the street. She knew the warlock was here somewhere. Noticing a small tourist stand, Aubrey walked over and bought a map of the city.

"Going to see the stars?" The old man behind the stand asked.

"Not quite." Aubrey replied. "I'm looking some someone."

"Aren't we all?" The man joked.

Aubrey stared at him blankly before turning around. There was only one thing on her mind and that was revenge. As she thought about her sister, she wondered if she would ever smile again. The warlock had taken everything from her and she was going to make sure he would suffer for it. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the picture of the young woman she had found. She would lead her to the warlock.

Xxx

In another part of LA, Grace walked through a park and sat down on a bench. She needed a moment to clear her head, as she felt more conflicted than ever. Being with her family only increased the guilt and conflict she was dealing with. Her feelings for Luke were so strong, though she knew her family would never let them be together. She wasn't sure if she could even trust him yet, though she felt this burning desire to be with him. She was tired of trying to be a good sister, daughter and student. She wanted to break the rules and make her own choices. Luke offered her adventure, passion and freedom.

"You look like you need a drink." A familiar voice sounded.

Grace looked up and saw Luke standing in front of her holding two bottles of soda. She smiled and got up to kiss him. As she felt his warm lips, she asked herself how something that felt so good could be bad.

"I'm so happy to see you." Grace replied as she accepted the bottle Luke held out for her. "My family is already driving me crazy."

"They care about you, Grace." Luke said. "But you're different from them. You know it."

"They'll never accept that." Grace replied. "Or you."

"You're an adult." Luke said. "You're free to make your own choices."

"But I'm afraid of the consequences." Grace admitted. "If I choose you, I might lose them."

"I can't make that choice for you." Luke replied. "You know I love you and what I can offer. A life of your own choices, no compromises. Just freedom… and us."

Luke took a sip of his drink and Grace followed his example. For a moment, she thought she tasted something strange, though that feeling quickly made way for a pleasant tingling feeling. She always wanted to feel this way, like she could do anything. She kissed Luke and smiled contently.

"What are you thinking about?" Luke asked.

"I think I made up my mind." Grace replied. "I know what I want."

xxx


	4. Chapter 4

Legacy 115: Saving Grace

Part 4

Xxx

After Paige finishing preparing her family dinner by putting her lasagna in the oven, she led Wyatt and Noah to another room in the apartment, where Henry had an office and where she kept some magical supplies. She looked at the clock and realized Henry could come home any moment. She wanted to help, though she did not want to ruin her husband's surprise.

"Alright, so you need help tracking a wayward witch." Paige said as she grabbed a small leather-bound blue book from the bookshelf.

"Yeah, but we don't know how to track her." Wyatt replied. "She is rejected the Whitelighter bond and we don't have anything to scry for her."

"Have you tried the To Call a Lost Witch spell?" Paige asked.

"I thought about it, but it won't work if she rejects our summons." Wyatt said.

"Then you should reverse it." Paige noted. "Just send yourselves to her."

"I can't believe I didn't think about that." Wyatt said surprised.

"Wait, I thought that spell required a blood connection?" Noah noted.

"Not necessarily. Blood can be used to strengthen the spell, but we have four powerful witches right here, so we won't need it." Paige replied. "Junior, Laura, can you come in here?"

A moment later, Laura and Junior entered the office and Paige explained to them what was going on while quickly writing the reversed spell on a piece of paper.

"Now remember, once you find this witch, it is important to gain her trust." Paige said. "Don't push her or you'll chase her away."

"We understand." Noah replied.

"Alright, not to rush, but let's cast this spell before Henry gets here." Paige said. "Focus on the witch you're looking for."

Noah nodded and closed his eyes to focus, while Wyatt, Laura and Henry Jr. gathered around Paige to read the spell from the paper. They began casting it in unison on her signal.

" _Powers of the witches rise_

 _Course unseen across the skies,_

 _Let our call guide the way_

 _To find the one who is astray."_

Once the spell was cast, a flurry of large white orbs surrounded Wyatt and Noah and both of them disappeared in a flash of light. The moment they were gone, Paige heard the front door open and her husband talking to someone on the phone. She quickly orbed the spell book back on the shelf.

"No, I need those papers filed with the court before the end of the day." Henry said.

"Talk about perfect timing." Henry Jr. noted.

"Alright quiet." Paige said. "I was hoping to surprise your dad with all of you, but I guess we have to get started without Grace."

"Paige, are you here?" Henry called out.

"In the office!" Paige replied.

A moment later, Henry entered the office and was greeted by happy cheers from his wife and children. After the initial shock wore off, he excitedly gave his kids a big hug. Paige noticed he was carrying a big bouquet of roses. She was glad that she wasn't the only one who remembered their anniversary.

"I can't believe this." Henry said with a huge smile. "I'm so happy you're here. Paige, you planned all of this behind my back?"

"Happy anniversary." Paige replied as she walked over and kissed him.

"You too." Henry said. "Though these flowers don't even come close to your gift."

"Don't be silly, I love them." Paige said.

"So did we surprise you?" Laura asked.

"Definitely." Henry replied. "I'm glad to see you're all… Wait a minute, where is Grace?"

"I'm right here." A voice sounded from behind them.

Paige and the others turned around and saw Grace standing in the door opening. For some reason, Paige felt a chill run down her spine when she looked in her daughter's eyes. She felt like she was looking at a stranger. She couldn't describe it, but something felt wrong.

"I'm surprised you noticed I was missing." Grace remarked.

"Of course. Come here." Henry replied as he hugged his daughter.

"Hi dad." Grace replied as she hugged him back awkwardly.

"I am so happy to have all of you here together." Henry said. "Moving here has been a huge opportunity, but it means I had to miss my family. You're all growing up so fast."

"Don't start crying now, dad." Henry Jr. remarked.

"I can't make any promises." Henry replied.

"I'm glad that we were able to pull this off and spend this day together." Paige said. "Now you should all freshen up and get ready for dinner."

Her family nodded and left the office. Paige held back a bit and took Grace by the arm as she tried to leave. When the others were gone, she closed the door and turned to her daughter.

"Grace, what is going on?" Paige asked concerned.

"Not this again." Grace replied as she rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, mom In fact, I feel better than ever before. Like a weight has been lifted."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Paige asked.

"You'll find out soon enough." Grace said. "We shouldn't keep the others waiting."

Grace turned around and left the office. Paige remained silent and rubbed her arms, as she could not shake the cold feeling. She wanted this day to be a surprise for Henry and a chance to be a family again. However, she could not shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. Something dark had taken a hold of Grace and she needed to stop it before it was too late.

Xxx

In a park in the middle of the city, Aubrey Collins arrived through with teleportation potion. According to her scrying crystal, the girl from the picture should be there, but there was nobody in sight. A frustrated Aubrey grabbed her map and began scrying again. She was getting closer and closer, soon she would have her vengeance. She looked at the picture of the girl. Who was she to the warlock? Just his next victim or something else?

Aubrey focused her attention back on the crystal when she felt it pulling. The girl was close, though before she could pinpoint her location, Aubrey was distracted by swirling white orbs that appeared before her. Aubrey quickly hid the picture and the crystal. The orbs manifested into two young men whom she had never seen before.

"Aubrey Collins?" The blond guy asked.

"Who are you?" Aubrey asked in return.

"My name is Wyatt." The blond guy said. "This is Noah. We were sent by the Elders to help you."

"Whitelighters." Aubrey replied annoyed. "I don't need your guidance or whatever. I'm doing fine on my own."

"Hunting down your sister's killer?" Noah asked.

"Don't mention my sister!" Aubrey snapped at him. "You don't know her. You don't get to talk about her!"

"We just want to help." Noah replied.

"You Whitelighters are all the same." Aubrey said. "Thinking that talking about emotions and stuff will help. My sister and Whitelighter were murdered. They deserve justice."

"I understand." Noah said. "Roman was a good friend of mine. And I know how it feels to lose a loved one. I don't want to take anything away from you. I just want to help you."

"You can't." Aubrey replied. "There is only one thing that will make me feel better."

"Killing the warlock won't make you feel better." Wyatt said. "You're being driven by your pain and anger. You want to kill the warlock to ease the pain, but that won't work."

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Aubrey argued.

"Maybe not, but killing someone to make yourself feel better is a dangerous path to take." Wyatt replied. "It might end up turning you into the evil you're trying to fight."

Aubrey glared at Wyatt and felt her anger boil inside her. He had no right to talk to her like that. She was getting justice for her sister. What difference did it make how she felt? The warlock deserved to suffer and die. She had no intention of listening to them any longer. She waved her hand and sent them both flying back.

As the Whitelighters landed in some bushes, Aubrey turned around and stormed off. However, before she could take a few steps. Noah appeared before her in a column of orbs.

"Aubrey, please don't let your anger guide you." Noah pleaded. "I know you want payback, but this is not the way."

"Get out of my face." Aubrey said.

Aubrey held out her hand and used her telekinesis to put pressure on Noah's throat. She lifted him off the ground as she chocked him. The Whitelighter struggled as he gasped for air. She knew it wouldn't kill him, she just wanted him out of the way. When he lost consciousness, she let go and he dropped to the ground. A moment later, a transparent blue force field trapped her in place. Aubrey turned around and saw Wyatt standing behind her.

"You're not a simple Whitelighter are you?" Aubrey noted. "You're Wyatt Halliwell."

"I am." Wyatt replied.

"Then you of all people should know how I feel." Aubrey asked. "A warlock killed your mother. Tell me you didn't want revenge."

"Of course I did." Wyatt replied. "But letting those feelings guide you is wrong. We're supposed to be on the side of good. If we kill for revenge, we're no different from evil."

"Good and evil don't mean much to me anymore." Aubrey said. "I have nothing left."

"You're wrong, you're not alone." Wyatt replied.

"I've made up my mind." Aubrey said determined. "I am going to kill that warlock, no matter what."

"I'm not going to let you do that." Wyatt said. "Not because of the warlock, but because of you. I want to save you from yourself."

"You Halliwells are supposed to be so powerful." Aubrey remarked with a smirk. "Let's see who really is the strongest."

Aubrey took a deep breath and held out her hand at the force field. She channeled her power at the blue sphere surrounding her. She could see Wyatt struggling to keep her contained as she increased the pressure. She thought about her sister and screamed out her name in anger. The entire force field shattered into a million pieces. The force of the blast knocked Wyatt back and he remained motionless after he landed in the grass. Feeling content, Aubrey grabbed a potion and teleported away through a cloud of smoke.

xxx

Laura could feel the tension as her family sat down at the dinner table. Her mother seemed nervous, while she almost did not recognize her own sister. While Grace usually was a warm and social person, she now seemed cold and distant. Her brother also noticed something was wrong, though he kept talking to their dad, who luckily seemed unaware of the tension. He just seemed happy to have his family around him and talked to Henry Jr. about a sport match or something. Laura knew she needed to get through to Grace. It would break her father's heart to see his family falling apart.

"Hey Grace, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a moment?" Laura asked.

"No, we're having dinner." Grace replied casually. "We should all be together, right?"

"It's kind-of important." Laura insisted.

"Laura, just let her be." Paige said as she shook her head.

"Is something wrong?" Henry asked.

"No, of course not." Laura replied. "I just wanted to talk to Grace about something school related."

"No need to do that in the kitchen." Henry said. "I want to know how you both are doing in school. Since you insisted going so far away, I at least want to know you're getting the most out of it. So how are things?"

"Well, I've been really focusing on my grades, hoping to get a good internship next year." Laura quickly said. "I think I'm going to ace my paper on Greek mythology."

"That's amazing honey, I am so proud of you." Henry replied.

"What else is new?" Grace remarked.

"Excuse me?" Henry asked.

"Of course you're proud of her. Perfect Laura who can never do anything wrong." Grace snapped. "Our brilliant little bookworm."

"Grace, that's no way to talk about your sister." Henry said sternly. "You've been grumpy ever since you got here. What is going on?"

"Do you really want to know?" Grace asked.

"Of course." Henry said. "You're my daughter. You are all important to me."

"Well, I'm falling behind in school." Grace replied. "I haven't written a word of my essay and I think I'm about to be kicked out for missing classes. If I don't just drop out first."

"What?" Henry asked angrily. "Grace, we allowed you to go to Paris because it was what you wanted. We expected you to do your best."

"Honey, perhaps we should talk about this another time." Paige interrupted.

"Art isn't something you can learn in school." Grace said, ignoring her mother. "You have to experience it."

"You still need an education!" Henry said as he slammed his fist on the table. "I can't believe I'm hearing this, I'm so dissap…"

"Disappointed?" Grace finished his sentence. "Of course. I will never be as perfect as Laura or as loved as your favorite child, your son."

"Hey." Henry Jr. called out.

"I don't play favorites, Grace." Henry replied. "You know that."

"Whatever. I'm done trying to fit in." Grace admitted as she rose from her chair. "I'm done pretending to be something I'm not."

"What do you mean?" Paige asked.

"I mean I'm not like any of you." Grace replied. "I want freedom, to make my own choices. I'm sick of playing by the rules. I'm a witch, for God's sake. I should be able to do whatever I want."

"That's not how we raised you." Henry said. "Being a witch doesn't mean you're free from rules."

"Grace, you know there is a balance in the world." Paige added. "Rules are what separate good and evil. If we go down that path…"

"Oh, I don't freaking care about good and evil!" Grace called out. "I am nothing like any of you. He made me see that. He sees the true me."

"Who are you talking about?" Laura asked shocked.

"You won't understand." Grace replied. "You're never going to accept me. Not like him. With him, I can be myself."

"Honey, you're scaring me." Paige said.

"This has gone on long enough!" Henry called out as he got up. "Grace, I don't know what was gotten into you, but you're going to sit down and we're going to talk about this like a family!"

"I'm done talking." Grace replied.

Grace snapped her finger and the dinner table erupted in a ball of fire. A jet of flames erupted and hit Henry in the arm, badly burning him as he fell down screaming. Laura quickly rose to her feet and shot a stream of ice at him to put out the fire. Paige cried out for Grace to stop but it was too late. A dark figure appeared behind Grace and Laura was shocked to see it was Luke. Before anyone had a chance to react, Luke grabbed Grace and blinked away.

xxx


	5. Chapter 5

Legacy 115: Saving Grace

Part 5

Xxx

Laura stood frozen in place, staring at the empty seat at the table where her sister just disappeared with Luke. She could not believe that the warlock was still alive. She was convinced that Grace had vanquished that creep months ago. Had she lied to everyone's faces? Had she spared his life and secretly been seeing him all this time? She couldn't have done that, Laura knew her sister better than that. There had to be a logical explanation, one that didn't involve her sister running off with a murderous warlock.

"Laura, snap out of it!" A familiar voice sounded from far away.

It was only when someone grabbed her shoulder that Laura regained her senses. Henry Jr. was standing in front of her with a concerned look on his face. On the other side of the table, her mother was healing the burns on her father's arm, inflicted by her own sister. Laura looked at her parents and saw the hurt and confused look in their eyes. It broke her heart.

"Tell us what is going on." Henry Jr. demanded. "Who was that? Where is Grace?"

"Was that him?" Paige asked as she finished healing her husband. "The warlock from Paris?"

"You mean one of those warlocks that tried to kill you?" Henry asked. "I thought you had vanquished them and their leader."

"So did I." Laura admitted. "She must have faked his death."

"Why?" Henry Jr. asked.

"Because she is in love with him." Paige concluded. "She had been seeing him all this time, hasn't she? It would explain everything."

"I think you're right." Laura said.

"How does it explain anything?" Henry asked angrily. "Can someone tell me what the hell is going on with my daughter?"

"She is in love with a warlock, Henry." Paige said. "She has been keeping it secret for months. He is manipulating her, turning her against us."

"We raised her better than that." Henry said. "She is smart. How could she fall for that?"

"Love makes you do stupid things." Paige replied. "He charmed her, preyed on her desires. He probably made her believe he can make her dreams come true. He is blinding her."

"I should have seen it." Laura said tearfully. "I was right there."

"Honey, this is not your fault." Paige replied as she walked over to hug her daughter. "You can't blame yourself for not noticing."

"I don't understand how this could have happened." Laura said. "Sure she was distant and secretive, but she never acted like she did tonight. Something changed. She seemed almost evil."

"Maybe something has changed." Paige reasoned. "I felt something when I looked at her, something dark. Maybe there is more to it than just falling in love with the wrong guy."

"You mean like a spell or something?" Henry Jr. noted. "Or mind manipulation?"

"You think he is controlling her?" Henry asked. "That means it's not really our Grace. She is acting this way because of his magic."

"It's not as simple as that." Paige admitted. "Though I wish it were."

"What do you mean?" Henry asked.

"It is like Laura said, the change only happened recently." Paige explained. "He might be using magic on her now, but she chose to spare his life months ago. She kept seeing him in secret all this time. She really is in love with him."

"Months of manipulation." Laura added. "And now he is using magic to push her over the edge."

"So he can make his final move." Henry Jr. concluded.

"Can someone please explain what is happening to the mortal?" Henry demanded in a frustrated tone.

"If the warlock has been manipulating her for months, it can only mean one thing." Paige said. "He doesn't just want her powers. He wants her to become like him, forever."

"United in unholy matrimony." Henry Jr. remarked.

"You're saying… He wants to make her a warlock?" Henry asked shocked. "That's impossible. She would never…"

"I'm sorry, dad. I don't want to believe it either." Laura said. "But seeing her tonight, how she hurt you. She doesn't know what she's doing. We don't know what he can make her do in this state."

"No, I refuse to believe that." Henry said determined. "No matter how far gone she is, she is still our daughter. She would never do that."

"I know, I want to believe that as well." Paige admitted. "It feels like history is repeating itself."

"What do you mean, mom?" Henry Jr. asked.

"Years ago, the same thing happened with your aunt Phoebe." Paige replied. "She was in love with a half-demon and she helped fake his death. Then when he became the Source of All Evil, she joined him as his queen. We almost lost her forever."

"But she came back." Laura said. "She realized she could not truly be evil and returned to her sisters. She vanquished the man she loved because he was taken over by evil. I know Grace can do the same, if we reach her in time."

"You're right, we can save her." Paige said determined. "We have to hurry and find her."

"I'll get the crystals and a map." Henry Jr. said.

As Henry Jr. ran to the office to get the magical supplies, Laura sat back down and stared into nothing. Her hand were trembling. Despite what her mother said, she did blame herself for not noticing Grace was in trouble. She was a horrible sister, only focusing on her own dreams and her schoolwork. She should have seen what was happening before her very eyes.

"What is going to happen if we don't find her in time?" Henry asked.

"I don't want to even think about it." Paige replied.

"Please, I have to know." Henry said. "She is our kid, Paige. I don't want to be the only one in the dark."

"Alright." Paige said reluctantly. "Most warlocks hunt witches to kill them for their powers, which they can do by stabbing them with an athame. However, as warlocks are immortal, they sometimes seek something else. A partner."

"How can she become a warlock?" Henry asked.

"There are several ways." Paige replied. "There are some dark rituals that can turn witches into warlocks, but the most common and easiest way is for a witch to kill another witch and take her powers. Then she loses her soul and becomes pure evil."

"Grace could never kill someone." Henry said convinced.

"I almost killed someone once." Paige admitted. "When I just became a witch, I was manipulated into almost orbing someone's heart out. He got into my head and convinced me I was stopping an evil man from hurting his child. If my sisters hadn't stopped me, I would have done it."

"Oh." Henry replied hesitantly.

"Don't worry." Paige said as she took his hand. "We're going to find her."

"I have the map and a crystal." Henry Jr. replied as he came back from the office.

"Good, we don't have any time to waste." Paige said. "We're a family, and we're not going to let some warlock tear us apart."

Xxx

Through the blink of an eye, Grace disappeared from her parents' place and reappeared in a darkened hotel room. She gasped for air, as she could not believe what she had just done. She had stood up to her family, though she had accidentally hurt her father in the process. She felt bad about it, though she also felt liberated. She was free to be with the man she loved. She looked up into Luke's eyes, who was holding her in an embrace.

"Are you alright?" Luke asked. "That was intense."

"It was, thanks for getting me out." Grace replied as she leaned into him and rested her head on his chest. "I can't believe I did it."

"You were amazing." Luke said. "Fierce and brave, just like I knew you could be. And now your family know it too."

"I hurt my dad." Grace said with some guilt.

"He will be fine. It was only a minor burn and your mom probably healed him already." Luke replied. "I know you never meant to hut him, but you needed to make your point."

"They don't understand." Grace replied. "I don't think they ever will."

"They don't need to." Luke said. "All we need is each other. Now we're both free to do whatever we want. We can go anywhere. I love you."

"I love you to." Grace said.

Grace looked up at him and kissed him passionately. He was right, they were together and nothing could stop them. Good and evil no longer mattered and neither did her family's approval. She had followed her heart and was free to be herself. Grace kept kissing Luke as she took off his jacket and started unbuttoning his shirt. Today was the first day of her new life and she would only follow her desires from now on. And right now, her desire was Luke.

Xxx

Aubrey smiled as the crystal dropped down on the map. She looked at the map and it pointed her to a hotel nearby. The blond girl from the picture was there. She went on the move. The girl was connected to the warlock somehow. She needed to know how, so she could use it to her advantage. When she arrived at the hotel, she grabbed a floorplan off the wall. Using her scrying crystal, she pinned down the exact hotel room.

Aubrey felt her heartbeat increase as she walked through the hallway. Soon her sister and Whitelighter would be avenged. She was tired, but she wasn't going to give up. The warlock needed to die before she could rest. When she reached the room, she took a deep breath and used her telekinesis to slam the door open. She heard a scream as she stepped into the room. The room was dark, as the curtains were closed, though there was some light slipping in. The girl was sitting on the bed, half dressed and covered by the bedsheet. The warlock was nowhere to be seen.

"Who the hell are you?" The girl asked angrily.

"Where is he?" Aubrey demanded to know.

"Who are you talking about?" The girl asked. "There is nobody here."

"Please, don't even pretend you were here alone. You like you just…." Aubrey said disgusted. "Oh my God. Are you sleeping with him?"

"Alright, I've had enough of this." The girl said angrily.

The girl stepped out of bed and dropped the bedsheet, revealing she was just wearing a black bra and panties underneath. She held out her hand and a large flame appeared in it. It confirmed that she was a witch, though it did not explain her connection to the warlock. Was she just another victim, tricked by his handsome appearance? Or was she an accomplice and fully aware of his true nature?

"Who are you?" Aubrey asked again.

"You first." The girl replied.

"Fine. My name is Aubrey Collins." Aubrey said. "I'm hunting down the warlock that killed my sister."

"I… don't know who you mean." The girl replied, though there was some hesitation in her voice.

"You're lying." Aubrey said. "That can only mean you're covering for him. Are you in love with him? He is evil."

"My name is Grace." The girl replied. "And he is not evil. I love him."

"Grace." Aubrey said in an attempt to reason with her. "Please listen to yourself. He is manipulating you. He is a warlock, a soulless killer. He killed my sister, my Whitelighter and who knows how many others. You might be next."

"No, we love each other." Grace replied determined. "Luke showed me what it means to be free. I'm not going to let anyone tear us apart."

A dark look appeared in Grace's eyes and she raised her hand, sending a stream of fire at Aubrey's direction. Aubrey raised her hand and blocked the flames. The witch was strong, but Aubrey was far stronger. She pushed back the flames and then flung her arm, throwing a screaming Grace against the wall. At that moment, the bathroom door opened and the warlock appeared in just a pair of dark jeans. Aubrey barely avoided a Bursting Ball he threw at her. Rage filled her when she realized he was using her sister's power against her.

"I am going to kill you!" Aubrey said bitterly.

"You can't defeat the both of us, witch." Luke replied smugly as his partner rose to her feet and summoned more flames.

"Coward." Aubrey snapped at him before turning to Grace. "How can you side with him?"

"We love each other." Grace replied as she looked at the warlock and he smiled at her.

"I'm giving you one chance to get out." Aubrey said determined. "I am going to avenge my sister and I don't care who is standing in my way."

"I won't leave him." Grace said.

"Then I will kill you both." Aubrey replied.

Aubrey held out her hands and send both of them crashing into the wall. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the athame the warlock had used to kill Jeanie. She telekinetically grabbed the warlock by his threat, forcing him to his feet. She moved closer to the warlock and pointed the athame at his chest, piercing his bare skin, causing him to wince in pain.

"You took everything from me!" Aubrey said angrily. "You're going to suffer."

When Grace began to move, Aubrey glanced at her and used her telekinesis to throw her across the room. She crashed into a cabinet and cried out in pain.

"Leave her alone!" Luke screamed angrily.

"Wait, you care about her?" Aubrey asked shocked. "I thought you were just manipulating her. I wanted you to suffer, but I just planned on making your death as painful as possible. Now I have another way to hurt you."

"No." Luke replied.

"Oh yes." Aubrey said. "I want you to feel as empty and broken inside as me. Killing the witch will hurt you more than simple torture."

Luke struggled against her telekinetic hold as Aubrey stepped back and headed toward Grace. She kneeled down and grabbed her by the chin, forcing her to look her in the eyes.

"You made a big mistake falling in love with him." Aubrey said darkly. "You could have walked away, but I can't forgive a witch who sides with a warlock."

"Kill me and you're just as bad." Grace replied.

"No, you're wrong." Aubrey said. "I'm going this for justice. To avenge my sister."

"Don't fool yourself." Grace replied. "You're doing this for yourself, because you want to. This isn't about good and evil anymore."

Aubrey was stunned by her words and wondered if she was right. It was the same thing that Wyatt and Noah were trying to tell her. Maybe she really was crossing the line. Before she had a chance to respond, Grace grabbed her arm and flames erupted from her fingers. Aubrey screamed in pain as she felt her skin being scorched, causing her to lose focus. Grace leaped up and ran toward Luke. Aubrey turned and threw the athame, though Luke blinked them both away before it could hit.

xxx


	6. Chapter 6

Legacy 115: Saving Grace

Part 6

Xxx

As Wyatt slowly regained consciousness, he felt a warm glow spreading through his body. A golden light shone as he opened his eyes and he saw Noah hovering above him. He remembered the fight with Aubrey and being knocked back by her power. He must have hit his head pretty hard. He wondered how much time had passed. When Noah finished healing him, Wyatt sat up and looked around. It was getting dark, so he had been out for at least an hour or two.

"Where is she?" Wyatt asked.

"She disappeared." Noah replied.

"We have to find her before she does something stupid." Wyatt said.

"She is pretty far gone, Wyatt." Noah said. "I saw that dark look in her eyes. She is out for blood, she is not thinking clearly."

"All the more reason to find her and talk to her." Wyatt replied.

"And what if she can't be reasoned with?" Noah asked.

"We can't think like that." Wyatt argued. "We were sent to save her, to stop her from going down this path and ruining her life. We need to have faith."

"I know." Noah admitted. "Though sometimes I struggle to find it myself. So how can I help others find it again? I know what it feels like to be that lost."

"Is this about Calliope?" Wyatt asked.

"Part of it." Noah replied. "We both dreamed about the same thing. When I lost her, I lost sight of that dream, but I also lost a part of myself. I hurt other people because I felt lost."

"I'm sorry." Wyatt said. "I had no right to judge you for what you did. You were in a dark place, just like Aubrey is now. It can't be easy coming back from that."

"It's not." Noah said. "Guiding your cousins helped me. And then Prue made me realize it was possible to love again. She gave me a fresh start."

"And now we have to do the same for Aubrey." Wyatt said. "If anyone can relate to what she is going through, it's you. You can make her see reason."

"Alright." Noah said determined. "Let's go find her."

Wyatt nodded and got back on his feet. He looked at Noah with a newfound understanding and respect. Noah had been nothing but a good Whitelighter to his cousins and he really did seem to love Prue. Noah had been to a very dark place and he had managed to get out, which meant the same was possible for Aubrey. All they had to do was find her in time.

Xxx

Through the blink of an eye, Luke and Grace appeared in the middle of a closed clothing store. Still reeling from the fight against Aubrey, Grace grabbed the man she loved and held him tightly. With her family gone, Luke was all she had left. She could not image living her life without him. They were going to see the world together. She would do whatever it took to keep that dream alive. However, there was a small voice inside telling her something was wrong. The witch had been after Luke for a reason. She claimed that he had killed her sister. As much as she loved Luke, that was something she could not ignore.

"I'm fine, Grace." Luke said to calm her down.

"She almost killed you." Grace replied.

"But you saved me. You stood up for me like nobody has ever done before." Luke said. "I love you for that."

"I love you too." Grace said hesitantly.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked when he heard her doubt.

"She said you killed her sister." Grace replied. "Is that true?"

"Alright, you deserve to know the truth." Luke said. "But let's get dressed first, you must be cold. After that, we'll talk for real."

Grace nodded and she felt a shiver running down her spine. They both grabbed some clothes from the racks and got dressed. Using her flames, Grace burned off the security tags from a black top embroidered with silver, some black leather leggings and some gorgeous black boots. It felt good to take what she wanted without thinking about the consequences. When she was finished getting dressed, she got out of the booth and saw Luke waiting for her with a cup of coffee.

"I figured you could use a warm drink." Luke said.

"Thanks." Grace replied as she accepted the coffee and took a sip, causing a warm feeling to spread through her body. "Now tell me what happened."

"I'm going to be honest with you, as I love you and I think you can handle it." Luke said. "The witch was right. I did kill her sister for her powers."

"What?" Grace asked in disbelief. "How could you?"

"I'm a warlock." Luke said. "Can you honestly be surprised? It's though out there for my kind. Both good and evil look down on us, which makes us easy prey to both sides. I did what I had to do to get stronger and survive."

"But to take a life?" Grace asked.

"Anyone is capable of taking a life, Grace." Luke replied. "You fought Aubrey for me. Wouldn't you have killed her to save me?"

"I… I don't know." Grace said troubled. "I didn't want her to hurt you. But to kill her?"

"Look, we want to be together." Luke said. "The entire world is going to be against us. If we want to survive, we need to be able to count on each other. I need to trust you with my life."

"How?" Grace asked.

"If we truly want to spend an eternity together, you know what must be done." Luke said. "You might not want to admit it yet, but deep down, you know."

"You're asking me to kill for you." Grace concluded. "To become a warlock."

"It's the only way." Luke said. "We will both be immortal and we will be strong enough to defeat anything that stands in our way."

"I don't know, Luke." Grace replied.

"Think about it." Luke said as he took her hand in his. "You will still be the same person, our love will be the same. The only thing that will truly change is that you no longer need to feel conflicted. It will be the final step to set yourself free. We will be together forever."

"I have to think about this." Grace admitted.

"We don't have a lot of time." Luke said. "Aubrey is still coming for us, and so is your family. They will do whatever it takes to tear us apart."

Grace turned away from Luke and walked toward the window, where she could look out at the darkening sky. She loved Luke and wanted to be with him, she wanted to experience true freedom. But could she really kill someone to achieve her dreams? There was no coming back from that. A wave of guilt washed over her, thinking about the pain Aubrey was in because of her sister. Could she do that to her own family or anyone else?

"The only thing that is holding you back is guilt." Luke said as he appeared behind her. "You were raised to think it was wrong to choose your own happiness over that of others."

"It's evil." Grace replied.

"There is no good and evil." Luke said. "I have seen the real you. The one that desires freedom and passion and thinks that rules are meant to be broken. Be yourself with me, Grace. Accept the darkness inside of you."

Grace looked at her reflection in the glass. The darkness was inside of her, she could feel it. It had been there all along, but now it was stronger than ever. She wanted to give in, to let go of the doubt she had been dealing with all her life. All it took was one little act to make all those feelings go away, to be truly free. She turned around and wanted to kiss Luke.

Before their lips could touch, the windows shattered, causing the alarm to go off. Grace turned and saw Aubrey stepping into the store. She flicked her hand and the security system was torn from the wall, silencing the alarm. Aubrey held out her hands and Grace and Luke were thrown to opposite sides of the store. They were both pinned against the wall through telekinesis as Aubrey reached into her pocket and revealed the athame.

"No more stalling." Aubrey said.

Aubrey walked toward Luke. Grace screamed at her to stop but she wouldn't listen. She raised her athame to stab him, but it was orbed out of her hand before she could. Grace turned around and saw Wyatt and browned-haired guy enter the store. She was shocked to see her cousin there.

"Wyatt?" Grace called out.

"Grace?" Wyatt asked equally surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"She is with him." Aubrey noted as she pointed at Luke.

"What are you talking about?" Wyatt asked.

"She is in love with the warlock." Aubrey replied and revealed her burned arm. "She chose his side."

"No, that's not possible." Wyatt said. "It must be some kind of mind control."

"Let me heal you." The brown-haired guy said as he walked over to Aubrey to heal her wounds. "I want to talk to you. We can work this out together."

"Thanks for the healing, Noah, but I said I'm done talking." Aubrey replied.

"Wyatt, she is crazy!" Grace quickly said. "She tried to kill me. Don't let her go."

"She is the one who lost it." Aubrey argued. "She torched my arm to rescue her murderous boyfriend."

"Hold on, everyone just calm down." Wyatt said confused. "There has to be a logical explanation here. Aubrey, let go of my cousin so I can talk to her."

"She is dangerous. I'm not letting her go." Aubrey replied.

"You don't have a choice, witch." Luke said.

Everyone turned to Luke and Grace saw he had formed a metallic sphere in his hand, which he shot toward Aubrey. She covered her eyes as the sphere exploded right in front of her and knocked down both her and Noah. Grace felt the telekinetic hold disappear and she fell to her knees. At the same time, Luke blinked behind Wyatt and held the athame to his throat.

"Luke, don't." Grace called out.

"They're not going to let us leave, Grace." Luke replied.

"You're really with him?" Wyatt asked with a shocked look on his face. "Grace, what is going on?"

At that moment, a swirl of orbs appeared in the middle of the store and Grace saw her mother appearing, along with her sister and her little brother. She knew it was only a matter of time before they found her. They would do whatever it took to keep her and Luke apart.

"Look, it's a family reunion." Luke remarked.

"Grace, honey." Paige said as she took a few steps toward her. "I'm so glad that you're okay. I just want to talk to you."

"We don't have anything left to discuss, mom." Grace replied as she summoned a ball of fire in her hand. "I made my choice."

"He is manipulating you, using magic to control you somehow." Laura said.

"No, this is the real me." Grace replied. "Luke showed me my true self. I'm never going to be like you, sis. Deal with it."

"Okay, she is crazy." Henry Jr. remarked.

"I'm not." Grace snapped at him. "You have no idea who I truly am. I've been trying to fit in my entire life. I always had to live up to the perfect sister, follow the rules, be a good witch. I'm sick of it all. Luke loves me."

"Grace, you never had to prove anything." Paige said tearfully. "I'm sorry if we made you feel that way. You're my daughter and I love you unconditionally."

"Then let me go." Grace replied.

"I… I can't." Paige said hesitantly. "Not with him, not like this. You're not evil, sweetie. Please just come back home with us."

"So you're lying." Grace argued. "You only love me if I play by your rules."

"God, quit playing the victim." Henry Jr. said as he rolled his eyes. "You did something stupid and fell in love with a warlock. Get over it."

"Junior, be quiet." Paige snapped at him.

"Grace, please. You're my sister." Laura pleaded. "Can we please just talk about this like we used to do? I know my twin is still in there."

"Stop trying to change me." Grace replied angrily.

Grace held out her hand and sent a stream of fire at her family. Laura quickly responded by throwing up her hand and sending a stream of ice at her. The two beams hit and cancelled each other out. The twins circled each other, both ready to use their magic again.

"Are we really doing this?" Laura asked with tears in her eyes.

"What choice do I have?" Grace retorted. "You won't leave me alone."

Grace considered her options as she looked around the room. She needed to get to Luke so they could blink away. However, he was unable to move as he kept Wyatt hostage and she was cornered by her family. Why did they have to be so difficult? All they had to do was step aside. She did not want to hurt them, but she would if she was left no other choice.

"Last chance. Let me go." Grace said.

"Never, I'm not giving up on you." Laura replied.

"None of us are, Grace." Paige added. "You're my daughter and I'm going to keep fighting for you. Your father and I want to come home."

"You're not fighting for me." Grace said. "You're fighting against me."

Grace released a stream of fire but Laura once again canceled it out with her ice. Grace changed tactics and threw several fireballs. Laura managed to stop a few, but one shot straight at their mother. Paige froze in place, though Henry Jr. grabbed her arm and the fireball orbed right through them.

"Enough!" A voice angrily echoed through the room.

A wave of telekinetic energy spread across the store and knocked everyone off their feet. As she rolled over the floor, Grace looked up and saw Aubrey rise to her feet. She headed toward Luke with a determined look in her eyes. She raised her hand and forced him to his knees. It was only a matter of time before she reached him and killed him.

"I'm going to snap your neck for what you did to Jeanie!" Aubrey said furiously as she reached Luke.

Fearing for the love of her life, a panicked Grace looked around and saw the athame lying on the floor. Acting on instinct, she picked it up and ran toward Luke. If she lost him, she would have nothing left. Without thinking, she lunged at Aubrey and plunged the athame in her back. Aubrey gasped as she felt the blade sink in her flesh. Grace screamed as she felt a surge of energy running through her body. In a split second, everything changed.

xxx


	7. Chapter 7

Legacy 115: Saving Grace

Part 7

Xxx

Laura was thrown back by a wave of telekinetic energy and fell through a rack of clothes. Before she had a chance to move again, she heard a scream from across the store. She sat up and saw Grace standing behind Aubrey, while Luke was sitting on his knees before them. Grace took a step back and Laura saw an athame in her hand, which was covered in blood. She gasped as Aubrey suddenly dropped to the floor. Grace stared at the blade, her hand trembled as she let slip and fall.

"You did it." Luke said proudly as he rose to his feet.

Laura's eyes widened as she realized what he meant and she looked at the athame, covered with the blood of a witch. It felt like her entire world came crashing down. She wanted to scream, though not a sound came out of her mouth. She was too horrified. Her sister was standing right in front of her, but she wasn't. Grace was gone. All that remained was a warlock with her appearance.

"No!" Paige cried out in agony from across the room. "What have you done?"

Laura turned and saw her mother running toward Grace, though she was stopped by Wyatt, who grabbed her arm. She turned to him angrily and tried to break free.

"Let me go!" Paige screamed at him. "My daughter…"

"Paige, stop." Wyatt replied. "It's not her anymore."

"How dare you?" Paige snapped at him with tears in her eyes. She raised her hand and slapped him across the face. "She is my little girl!"

Wyatt refused to let go and instead pulled Paige closer. She cried in his arms for her daughter. Laura rose to her feet and carefully walked toward her family, circling around her sister. Grace had not moved the entire time, almost as if she was in a trance. Laura wanted to reach her, but she was afraid of what she would find.

"No, I'm not." Grace stated coldly, finally breaking the silence in the room.

Grace turned around and Laura felt her veins turn to ice. Although she was looking at her twin sister, a stranger was staring back at her. Her eyes were cold and empty, like there was nothing of the original Grace left. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Grace, what have you done?" Henry Jr. whispered in disbelief.

"I feel liberated." Grace said as she looked at the blood on her hands. "A weight has been lifted."

"You're a warlock now." Wyatt replied. "You killed an innocent."

"You have crossed a line from which you can never come back." Noah said.

"Don't listen to them, Grace." Luke replied. "You did what you had to do to save me, so we can be together."

"I don't care what they say." Grace said with a smile. "I have never felt more like myself. I have no more doubts or fears. I feel like I can do whatever I want."

"Grace, please." Paige pleaded.

"Mom. I made my choice." Grace replied. "Deal with it."

"How could you have done this?" Paige asked. "What did we do wrong?"

"This isn't about you." Grace replied. "It never was. It was about finding the real me."

"This isn't the real you." Laura said tearfully. "You gave up your soul when you took a life. You've never been more wrong."

"Always the know-it-all." Grace remarked as she rolled her eyes. "I'm so glad I don't have to deal with you anymore."

"You're my twin sister." Laura said. "I love you. I always will."

"Sorry, the feeling isn't mutual." Grace replied.

"We don't have to waste our time with them anymore, my love." Luke said as he took her hand. "Let's get out of here and start our lives together."

"No!" Paige said determined.

A swirl of orbs surrounded Luke and Grace and they were thrown to opposite sides of the room. Paige broke free from Wyatt and stepped toward Luke. She held out her hand, causing the athame to orb into it. Luke threw a metallic sphere at her, though Paige easily orbed it away with a nod. Shattered glass from the broken windows started swirling around her on a wave of orbs. Laura had never seen her mother this intense.

"You ruined my daughter." Paige said furiously. "Now you have to deal with a Charmed One."

Luke attempted to crawl to his feet, though glass hit the floor in front of him, causing him to freeze. Before Paige could reach him, however, Grace appeared between them in the blink of an eye. Paige was caught off guard and the orbs disappeared, causing the glass to hit the floor.

"If you want him, you will have to go through me." Grace said.

"You're really choosing him over your family?" Paige asked.

"I already have." Grace replied.

Grace held out her hand and a heartbroken Paige was thrown back. She hit the wall and was knocked unconscious. Noah quickly ran over and kneeled down to heal her. Laura turned to her sister and realized that she had absorbed Aubrey's telekinesis when she became a warlock, along with gaining the ability to blink.

"Let's get out of here." Grace said to Luke.

"Gladly." Luke replied.

Grace started walking toward Luke and held out her hand. Laura knew she needed to act fast, or she would never see her sister again. Despite the fact that she had killed someone and had just attacked their mother, she wasn't ready to give up on her. She had shared her entire life with her twin. She just could not accept that Grace was gone forever.

"No!" Laura called out.

Laura held out her hand and fired a stream of ice at Luke, channeling all her anger and pain into it. When the beam hit Luke, he instantly froze over, turning into a frozen statue that was reaching out to Grace. When Grace touched his hand, a crack appeared and the entire statue shattered before her eyes. Grace screamed out and fell to her knees.

"I'm sorry." Laura said. "I couldn't let you leave with him."

"You killed him." Grace snapped at her, causing fire to appear in her hands.

"To save you." Laura pleaded.

"I don't need to be saved." Grace said bitterly. "But you do!"

Grace threw a stream of fire at Laura, who tearfully closed her eyes. She would not fight her own sister anymore. Maybe if she got hurt, Grace would finally come to her senses. Before the fire could hit, however, a blue force field surrounded Laura. She looked up and saw Wyatt and Henry Jr. standing next to her. Grace stopped and Wyatt dropped the force field.

"So this is how it is going to be." Grace said. "The entire family against me?"

"You chose this, Grace." Henry Jr. replied. "You're the one hurting your family."

"I don't want to do this." Wyatt said reluctantly. "I won't kill my own cousin. You should go."

"You should have killed me when you had the chance." Grace replied bitterly.

Grace took one last look around the room at her family members before disappearing in the blink of an eye. Laura buried her face in her hands as she cried for her sister.

Xxx

A few hours later, Noah was standing on the Golden Gate Bridge, looking over the nightly skyline of San Francisco. After what happened with Grace, the Mitchells had retreated to their home to process it as a family. Noah could only imagine how horrible it felt to lose a daughter and a sister like that. He had to deal with the fallout as well, as Grace had killed his charge Aubrey. It was a tragic loss. She could have been saved from her own darkness. Now she had suffered the same fate as her sister. When a column of orbs appeared, Noah expected to see one of the Elders, though it was Wyatt.

"Hey Noah." Wyatt said.

"How is everyone?" Noah asked.

"I don't really know, I didn't want to intrude." Wyatt replied. "They have a lot to deal with."

"You all do, Grace was your family too." Noah said. "I don't even know how to tell Prue and her sisters."

"I know." Wyatt replied. "I just wanted to be here when you talk to the Elders. They have to know you did everything you could, Noah. We both did."

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Noah said.

At that moment, another column of orbs appeared and manifested into Sandra. From the saddened look in her eyes, Noah realized she already knew what had happened.

"Sandra, before you say anything…" Wyatt started.

"You don't have to, Wyatt." Sandra interrupted him. "I know you both did everything in your power to save Aubrey. Nobody could have expected this outcome."

"We still lost a good witch." Noah said.

"We lost two." Sandra corrected him. "No matter what, Noah, your actions have not gone unnoticed. The council has seen the progress you have made. We have decided that you have earned back the right to guide more charges on your own. Though your main priority will remain the Halliwell sisters of course."

"Thank you, Sandra." Noah replied with a faint smile.

"The same goes for you, Wyatt." Sandra said. "It seems you have learned to understand each other better. Hopefully it will lead to good things."

Wyatt smiled as Sandra disappeared in a column of orbs. When she was gone, Noah let out a relieved laugh, as he was worried about being blamed by the council for what happened. It felt good to finally be back in their good graces again, though it was bittersweet due to losing Aubrey.

"That went well." Wyatt noted. "I'm glad they didn't send Odin."

"Me too." Noah replied with a smile.

"I'm also glad we got to spent time together, Noah." Wyatt said as he extended his hand. "I was wrong about you and I'm sorry about that. I hope we can be friends."

"I'd like that." Noah replied as he shook his hand.

Wyatt smiled and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder before orbing away. Noah turned back to the city and took a deep breath. The night was far from over, as it was his responsibility to tell Prue and her sisters what happened to their cousin. He gathered his courage and orbed to the apartment. When he arrived there, he found Prue sitting on the couch with her laptop and a cup of tea, probably working on a story for the paper.

"Hey, you're back. How did it go?" Prue noted as she closed the laptop. When she looked at Noah, she instantly knew something was wrong. "What happened?"

"I'm sorry." Noah replied. "This isn't going to be easy to hear."

Noah sat down and took her hand. He started telling her about everything that had happened with Aubrey and Grace. When Prue learned what had happened to her cousin, she broke down in tears in his arms. Noah hugged and comforted her. As he did, he promised himself that he would always protect her and her sisters. He would be the best Whitelighter he could be, not just to the sisters, but to all his future charges as well.

Xxx

In P3, Dominik was serving drinks to a woman who was desperately flirting with him. It was annoying, but he needed to keep playing the role of bartender if he wanted to stay close to the Halliwells. He smiled, thinking about how much damage he had done already with the Heart of Darkness. Luke had succeeded in turning his witch into a warlock. The fact that Luke was vanquished only made it better, as there was no trail leading back to him.

"Hey, can I get a drink?" Someone asked.

Dominik turned around and saw Dylan standing at the bar. He smirked at his luck, as tearing him and Wyatt apart was the next part of his plan. The odds seemed in his favor tonight.

"Sure, what can I get you, handsome?" Dominik replied.

"A beer, thanks." Dylan said. "Have you seen Wyatt around?"

"Sorry, not tonight." Dominik replied as he handed him a beer. "You're Dylan, right? I'm Dominik."

"Nice to meet you." Dylan said.

"I could keep you company if you want, my shift is almost over." Dominik suggested.

"I don't know." Dylan replied hesitantly. "I was thinking about heading home soon."

"Oh come on." Dominik said as he gentle touched his arm. "A cute guy like you shouldn't spend the night alone and I could use the company. I don't know a lot of people here yet and I could use a friend."

"Just a friend?" Dylan asked with a frown.

"Of course, I know you're spoken for." Dominik replied. "I'm not a home wrecker."

"Sure, why not? I could use a friend too." Dylan replied after a moment. "And a drink never hurt anyone, right? I'll get us a table."

Dylan left the bar to get a table and Dominik smirked, thinking about how certain drinks could hurt people. The first part of his plan was working, getting close to Dylan. He seemed like a nice guy from the outside, but there was a little demon lurking inside. Dominik would enjoy getting that demon out to play. The plan was still to hurt Wyatt of course, but he would not mind taking advantage of the benefits that came with it.

xxx

In her parents' apartment in Los Angeles, Laura was staring out the window in the office. Her family would never be the same again after losing Grace. Her parents were devastated. Her father had fallen to his knees and cried after hearing what happened. It was heartbreaking, as Laura could not remember her father ever crying before. She felt useless, as there was nothing she could do or say to ease their pain or her own. There was a hole in her heart. When the door opened, Laura looked up and saw Henry Jr. entering the office. He had not said much since they got home, as he was usually one to keep his emotions hidden.

"Hey." Laura said.

"Hey." Henry Jr. replied. "Mom wanted me to check on you."

"I'm fine." Laura said, though she quickly realized that it was a lie. All she wanted to do was cry, but that wouldn't help anyone.

"Sure." Henry Jr. remarked and she noticed his voice cracking. "I'm not, really."

"Talk to me." Laura said.

"I feel like my head is going to explode." Henry Jr. replied. "I just don't know. Seeing mom and dad like this physically hurts and I can't do anything about it. I don't even know what to think about Grace. None of this makes sense."

"I know, I feel the same." Laura said.

Laura walked over to her little brother and hugged him. She felt his tears fall on her shirt as they remained silent. She was strangely grateful, as they had never shared a moment like this. It made her realize that she wasn't alone. It also gave her hope that they would find a way through this. She was not going to give up on her family, including Grace. She had to believe there was still a chance to bring her back, and she was not going to give up until she found it.

Xxx

The End


End file.
